The present invention relates generally to docking and undocking of a content pane in a host window of a computer, and more particularly to providing feedback for docking the content pane.
Computer systems which utilize a graphical user interface in a windows-like environment typically such a computer system will display a plurality of windows. Each of the windows can be moved via a pointing device. Typically each window has a separate existence on a graphical user interface desktop with its own title bar. To xe2x80x9cdockxe2x80x9d a window is to move its content pane into another window. The user moves the content pane using a dragging gesture of the mouse. When the content pane of a window is docked, it may rest in a xe2x80x9cdocking panexe2x80x9d. So a content pane is undocked from windows, and docked or redocked into a docking pane. The window into which another window may be docked is called a xe2x80x9chost windowxe2x80x9d. To illustrate the docking and undocking feature, refer now to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional docking and undocking of a content pane 12 into a host window 10. In FIG. 1, docking and undocking feedback is provided by a dragged gray or black outline 14 through which the underlying components can be seen. This outline 14 shows size and orientation of a window whether docking or undocking. When undocking the window 12, the outline 14 is a thick granular gray border with the size and orientation of the resulting window. In FIG. 2, when docking, the outline 15 is a thin black border with the size and orientation (but not the precise position) of the resulting docking pane. A result of docking (not shown) is a border region separated from the center of the host window with a splitter bar. The problems with the conventional docking and undocking of windows utilizing the conventional method are the following.
Docking occurs only in the four border regions of the host window, not in the center of the host window. In a border region, multiple docking panes can be arranged in only one direction. Docking positions are limited to four positions. In the direction of the splitter bar, docking always occurs outside the split panes. Given a vertical splitter bar, for example, the left-top, left-bottom, right-top, and right-bottom positions are not available. The feedback during docking and undocking shows only the orientation and size of the resulting docked pane, but not how existing docking panes will be moved and resized. Therefore, the visual feedback to the user does not give the user an adequate indication of the total result of the docking.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system, method and article of manufacture for overcoming the above-identified problems. The present invention addresses such a need.
A system, method and article of manufacture for providing feedback concerning a content pane to be docked in a host window is disclosed. The system, method and article of manufacture comprises providing a description of a position of a content pane within a host window and utilizing a diagram to indicate the position and the orientation of the content pane within the host window. The system, method and article of manufacture also includes docking the content pane according to the description.
The system, method and article of manufacture in accordance with the present invention allows for docking to occur beyond the border regions. In addition, docking positions include the positions inside the split panes. Given a vertical splitter bar, for example, the left-top, left-bottom, right-top, and right-bottom positions are available. The thumbnail feedback when docking shows how existing docking panes will be moved and resized, as well as the orientation and relative size of the resulting docking pane.